This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 199 11 537.0, filed Mar. 16, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a device for driving a folding top for a cabriolet or convertible having at least one main bearing, which is at least indirectly connected to the vehicle body, at least one main pillar to which the folding top is attached and which is mounted in a rotatable manner on the at least one main bearing, at least one driving mechanism for driving the at least one main pillar, and a fabric-retaining bow for stretching the folding top when it is closed.
A device of the generic type is disclosed in German Patent Document DE 39 37 764 C1. In this case, the main pillar is driven by a toothed wheel via an adjusting cylinder, an additional kinematic arrangement and a further lever being necessary in order to drive the fabric-retaining bow.
A further device of this type is disclosed in German Patent Document DE 41 13 616 C1. In this arrangement, the intention is for the main pillar and the fabric-retaining bow to be driven by a single driving device. However, an additional fastening is required in order to lock the fabric-retaining bow to the lid of the folding-top compartment. Furthermore, a separate actuating mechanism is also required for this additional fastening, which in addition makes a more complicated control system necessary.
Furthermore, German Patent Document DE 44 23 834 C1 describes a device for driving a folding top, in which the fabric-retaining bow likewise has to have a fastening, which has to be activated in a corresponding manner.
All of these devices from the publications mentioned above, however, are united by having a very complicated structure which is thus susceptible to faults and which moreover causes relatively high costs.
In addition, the general prior art discloses folding-top systems having fabric-retaining bows in accordance with the principle of stay rods. In this case, the fabric-retaining bow is stretched through a position beyond the dead center, but it is not possible to lock the said bow in place.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device for driving a folding top of a cabriolet or convertible having a design which is as simple as possible and which has just one driving mechanism for both the main pillar and the fabric-retaining bow. The intention here is to ensure reliable operation with a control system which is not complicated.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing an arrangement wherein the at least one main bearing has a connecting-link-type guide,
wherein at least one main pillar is provided with a slot, PA1 wherein the at least one driving mechanism has a bolt-like element which is configured to be accommodated in the connecting-link-type guide of the at least one main bearing and in the slot of the at least one main pillar, PA1 wherein at least one additional lever is connected in an articulated manner via a first pivot to the fabric-retaining bow, and PA1 wherein the at least one additional lever has a recess on its side facing away from the first pivot for the purpose of accommodating the bolt-like element.
The invention results in the device for driving the folding top obtaining a kinematically very functional structure, as the result of which reliable operation is ensured when the folding top is opened and closed.
The driving mechanism controls the main pillar and the fabric-retaining bow in a constrained manner by means of the connecting-link-type guide and the elements which interact with the latter. As a result, the fabric-retaining bow does not require a separate driving mechanism and a separate control system. In addition, a very simple locking of the fabric-retaining bow via the driving mechanism is advantageously possible.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.